High explosive pulsed power (HEPP) techniques can address a wide range of pulsed power needs. The basis for HEPP techniques is the use of high explosives to reduce the inductance of a current-carrying circuit, thus multiplying the current due to magnetic flux conservation. For the past twenty years at Los Alamos, our high energy density physics (HEDP) program has followed a path leading to more sophisticated and higher current (and often power) systems. Twenty years ago, we had the capability of conducting tests at 10, or even 30 MA, with no power conditioning and low inductance loads. The time scale of the experiment was the time it took to compress the flux explosively, and our fastest generator with high current capability was a plate generator (1). The operating time of the generator is less than 15 us, and flux loading requires either an additional -60 us or a reduced-efficiency inductive coupling scheme. We could also deliver shortened pulses to select loads by completing our generator circuit, initially, with a relatively high inductance circuit element, then switching in a lower inductance with 2-3 us left of the generator pulse. Figure 1 shows the results of such a test. The test was conducted in 1974 to investigate our capability to drive plasma z-pinch experiments for the production of soft x-rays (2), and was a pulsed power success. However, our understanding of vacuum power flow issues was not mature enough at that time to design a functioning plasma z-pinch load.
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